First images of new Scarborough cinema

Carl Gavaghan

The Scarborough News can today reveal these exclusive first images of the town’s new North Bay cinema.

The planning application for the design and scale of the cinema – plus a multi-storey car park, restaurants and apartments – has been submitted to Scarborough Council this week.

New cinema

Work is due to start later this year once the new waterpark nearby is open in July.

Benchmark Leisure, the waterpark developer, is also behind this major development. It is hoping to open the cinema in 2017, although a specific date has not yet been revealed.

The cinema development was granted planning permission last year and, as such, the new reserved matters application for the design of the build is not expected to hit any major delays.

A spokesman for Benchmark Leisure said: “We are delighted to submit the reserved matters for this exciting scheme, which is a major landmark in the delivery of a new multiplex cinema and leisure facilities in Scarborough.

Cinema plans

“This will be another significant leisure investment in the north bay which will be used by both residents and visitors.

“The recent Tour de Yorkshire proved to be a massive success in this part of town especially, and our aim is to build on this profile and interest with these plans.

“There are a number of operators very interested in running the multiplex cinema and we expect to be in a position to announce this shortly.”

The former Atlantis site has been vacated by the Military Adventure Park ready for work to start in when the water park is completed and planning permission granted.

Although the artist has used placeholder restaurant names there has been no conformation as yet on what franchises would be taking up residence.

Benchmark’s David Bloxham told the Scarborough News that it would be a mixture of “the restaurants you would expect to find alongside a cinema” and local businesses.

Scarborough Councillors were given an early look at the designs last week, with the look and scale of the building drawing cross-party support, according to council leader Cllr Derek Bastiman

Labour leader Cllr Steve Siddons, the most vocal advocate for the cinema to be built on the site of the North Street Car Park, said: “I think on this occasion we can give support to something that is going to benefit the borough enormously.”